DATE: May 11, 2007

CONTACT: Cal Becker, (864) 656-2174
bcalvin@clemson.edu

WRITER: Teresa C. Hopkins, (864) 656-1222
teresa.hopkins@clemsonews.clemson.edu

Clemson confers more than 2,000 degrees

CLEMSON — More than 2,000 students crossed the stage as Clemson University graduates today and entered a promising job market.

“The job market is doing very well. We’ve seen a 35 percent increase in employers on campus this year,” said Flora Riley, executive director of the university’s career center. “Career Fair attendance by employers broke all previous records. All areas are doing well, especially engineering, construction, business, teacher education and information technology.”

The Clemson degrees awarded included 1,912 bachelors, 447 masters and 65 Ph.D.s.

Those in attendance at the111th Commencement ceremonies in Littlejohn Coliseum observed a moment of silence in memory of the Virginia Tech tragedy.

“A similar ceremony is taking place at Virginia Tech (today),” said Clemson President James F. Barker. “I ask all present here today to join me in a moment of silence to remember our friends and colleagues in Blacksburg, Va.”

Rudolph Ernest Mancke III, a distinguished lecturer in natural history at the University of South Carolina, received an honorary Doctor of Science degree.

A native of Spartanburg and 1967 graduate of Wofford College, Mancke is best known as director of nature programming for SCETV and as host of “NatureScene,” a nationally syndicated television show on which he appeared from 1978 to 2002. His 30-minute shows began with nature walks to interesting natural areas of South Carolina, but by the time production ceased 23 years later, Mancke and his film crew had visited all 50 states, Canada, Costa Rica, Russia and the Ukraine.

After accepting the honorary degree, Mancke gave the graduates important lessons to keep in mind as they head out into the world.

“Be willing to ask questions and seek to find answers,” Mancke said. “What you learn in doing this will give you knowledge.

“Also consider other perspectives and be willing to learn from them,” he added. “Be open to making discoveries on your own.”

Several others also received special awards.

The Norris Medal was awarded to Stephen Gosnell of Landrum, who graduated with a degree in biological sciences. Gosnell is a National Scholar, Dixon Fellow and served as student body president at Clemson. He was active in the student senate, Campus Crusade for Christ, LeaderShape Institute, Mortar Board National Leadership Honor Society, Omicron Delta Kappa National Honor Society and Students for Organ Donation.

The Norris Medal was established under the terms of the will of the Honorable D.K. Norris, a life trustee of Clemson. The medal is given each year to the graduating student who is judged to be the best all-around by the university scholarships and awards committee.

The Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award is given annually “in recognition of the recipient's influence for good, excellence in maintaining high ideals of living and genuine and disinterested service to others.” The award, named in honor of the first president of the New York Southern Society, was established by an agreement between the society and Clemson University. This year’s student recipients were Brittany Knick of Goose Creek, who graduated with a degree in biosystems engineering, and Matthew Cousins of Newberry, who received a degree in plant and environmental sciences in December.

Knick is a member of Mortar Board National Leadership Honor Society and served as chairwoman of the Miss Clemson University Scholarship Pageant for Mortar Board, an event to benefit the Clemson Child Development Center. She also is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Honor Society, Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society, Golden Key International Honor Society, Order of Omega Greek Honor Society and Clemson’s Calhoun Honors College. She was involved in student senate, Delta Zeta sorority and was a volunteer for the American Red Cross and the Clemson Child Development Center.

Cousins was a Dixon Fellow, a member of the Calhoun Honors College and Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity, for which he chaired the annual Clemson-USC Blood Drive. He was a member of several honor societies, including Golden Key, Phi Kappa Phi, Mortar Board, Sigma Alpha Lambda, Alpha Lambda Delta and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.   

The Algernon Sydney Sullivan non-student recipient was Charles Curry of Salem, who received the award for his support of Clemson’s physics and astronomy department. The Curry Foundation has given Clemson more than $300,000 to fund fellowships for graduate students in astrophysics, membership in the SARA 0.9-m telescope project and the university’s partnership in the Kitt Peak National Observatory 4-m telescope. These two facilities are regularly used by Clemson faculty and students for research. Curry also has given personal donations to support the department for conferences and other events.

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